On January 4, 2025, Beijing time, the 28-win and 5-loss Thunder hosted the 24-win and 10-loss Knicks. The Thunder currently has a 13-game winning streak, while the Knicks have a 9-game winning streak. Both teams are in excellent form. The Thunder played back-to-back (they made a big comeback win against the Clippers yesterday), while the Knicks rested for two days, giving them an advantage in terms of physical condition. The Thunder's defensive efficiency and net efficiency rank first in the league, while the Knicks boast top-tier talent. This match is considered a peak confrontation. Who will take the victory? The Thunder's Chet and Caruso were absent, with the starting lineup being Alexander + Wallace + Dort + Jalen + Harten. On the Knicks' side, Miro was absent, with the starting lineup being Brunson + Bridges + Hart + OG + Towns.
In the first quarter, Dort hit a three-pointer, Brunson responded with a layup, Alexander and Jalen scored, OG and Towns responded, both sides tied at 7-7. Harten and Dort scored 4 points in a row, Hart and Bridges responded with 4 points, both sides tied at 11-11. Jalen and Alexander extended the lead to 4 points, OG, Hart, and Bridges overtook by 2 points, Alexander and Dort overtook by 5 points, OG, Brunson, and Achiuwa scored, Jalin, Alexander, and Isaiah Joe responded, the Thunder led by 6 points. Brunson and Bridges narrowed the gap to 1 point, Alexander made 2 free throws, and at the end of the first quarter, the Thunder led 33-30. Alexander scored 14 points in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Bridges hit a three-pointer to tie the score, Mitchell scored 6 points in a row, the Thunder led by 6 points, OG, Hart, and Towns tied the score, Wiggins and Jalen scored, Towns dunked, OG hit a three-pointer, the Knicks overtook by 4 points. After a timeout, Brunson made 2 free throws, the Knicks led by 6 points, Alexander and Isaiah Joe scored, OG and Bridges continued to score, the gap widened to 9 points. Wiggins and Kenwei scored, Hart and Bridges responded strongly, the gap reached 14 points, Kenwei made a buzzer-beating layup, and at halftime, the Knicks led 66-54. Bridges had 19 points in the first half, while Alexander had 16 points.
In the third quarter, Wallace and Jalen scored 8-0, narrowing the gap to 4 points. After a timeout, Towns scored on an offensive rebound, Alexander made 2 free throws, the gap remained at 4 points. Towns dunked and made 1 of 2 free throws, the gap was 7 points. Jalen and Alexander scored, OG and Towns responded strongly, the gap reached 12 points. Jalen, Alexander, and Wallace scored, Shamet and Bridges responded, the gap was 10 points. Alexander hit a three-pointer, Achiuwa made 1 of 2 free throws, and at the end of the third quarter, the Knicks led 88-80.
In the fourth quarter, Jalen scored 4 points in a row, the gap was 4 points. After a timeout, Hart hit a three-pointer, the gap was 7 points. Jalen, Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe scored 8 points in a row, the Thunder overtook by 1 point. Bridges and Brunson overtook by 5 points, Alexander and Wiggins tied the score. Brunson and Towns scored, Wiggins and Alexander continued to score, the Thunder led by 7 points. After a timeout, Hart made a putback, Alexander made a layup, Brunson made a layup, Harten and Alexander responded, the gap was 9 points, there were 30 seconds left in the game. Brunson made a layup, Dort hit a three-pointer, and the game ended with the Thunder defeating the Knicks 117-107, making a comeback win after trailing by 14 points at one point. The Thunder achieved a remarkable 14-game winning streak, setting a new team record.
Alexander scored 33 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists on 12 of 26 shooting, setting a league record this season with 30 consecutive games scoring 20+ points. Jalen scored 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8 of 17 shooting. Wiggins, who became a key player, scored 19 points and 5 rebounds on 7 of 9 shooting (4 of 6 from three-point range). Harten scored 4 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Dort scored 11 points and 2 rebounds.
Towns scored 17 points, 22 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals on 7 of 13 shooting. Brunson scored 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists on 9 of 23 shooting. Bridges scored 24 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists on 10 of 19 shooting. Hart scored 19 points and 7 rebounds, while OG scored 20 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists.
The Thunder defeated the powerful Knicks despite playing back-to-back and missing Chet and Caruso, showing their terrifying strength. They have become a top team in the league. Once Chet returns, the Thunder has the ability to win the championship this season.